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What Everybody Ought to Know About Cancer Treatment Scams

When it comes to treating cancer, we all hope for a miracle cure, so when a company says they guarantee their product will work, can you believe it? Unfortunately, this is likely untrue. Before considering any kind of alternative treatment for cancer, talk to your doctor. Your healthcare team is on your side and wants you to avoid falling prey to these and other scams.

Cancer Treatment Scams: Modern Snake Oil

Why on earth would a person or business try to sell ineffective or dangerous products to people with cancer? There are a few main reasons. The first and most obvious is to make money.

There is a lot of money to be made by selling cheap products at high prices to people desperate for a cure, without the expense of performing clinical studies. However, while we're as cynical as most other seasoned healthcare professionals about these scams, we also appreciate the fact that many of the people and businesses producing and selling these "treatments" truly believe in their products and truly want to help others.

However, what you, as someone with cancer, needs to worry about is not the motivation behind these products, but rather the potential safety and efficacy. While nobody but you can decide what you will or will not try in your quest to treat your cancer, we will offer some tips to help you make smart decisions regarding these possibly questionable treatments. First, we'll start off with our top five red flags you should watch for.

Our Top Five Red Flags That a Cancer Treatment Is a Scam

Some scams are easy to spot, if you know how. Here are some red flags:

A promise of a cure (no legitimate treatment can, in good conscience, promise a cure)

Claims that this "treatment" was suppressed or rejected by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or drug manufacturers because it was too effective

Claims that the medical profession does not want to cure cancer because treating cancer is big business

Any encouragement to stop your doctor-recommended treatments

Any high-pressure sales tactics, such as claims that sales are limited or that limited quantities are available.

Typically, scams that incorporate these tactics are the "in it for the money" type that likely have no concern or care for their victims.

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